Color powers serve in gameplay as power-up gimmicks that are needed to either traverse the environment or performing unique attacks fitting a given situation. According to an interview with Takashi Iizuka, Color Powers are set to be features in all future games where they will fit.[1]

Contents

Description

Color Powers are unique abilities for Sonic that are unleashed when he harnesses the power of a Wisp by temporarily absorbing it and tapping into its innate reserves Hyper-go-on, allowing him to use the Wisp to grant himself new abilities and/powers that he would otherwise not have, such as shooting himself forward as a laser, create fire explosions or even manipulate objects within the area. In gameplay, this allows the player to perform specialized and highly powerful attacks, traverse the environment and complete the Acts more easily, or a combination of both.

When using a Color Power, Sonic only needs to harness a fraction of the Wisps' total of Hyper-go-on. Color Powers can only be maintained for a short period of time in gameplay, however, and requires that the player collects more Wisps of the same type before the active Color Power runs out in order to maintain it (the only exception is Red Burst which can also be refilled by touching fire). After a Color Power runs out, the Wisps will pop back out of Sonic, unharmed.

Each type of absorbable Wisp, grants Sonic a different Color Power with its own unique abilities; the Yellow Wisps grant Sonic the Yellow Drill, the Green Wisps grant Sonic the Green Hover and so forth. Most Color Powers cause Sonic to physically transform into a form better suited for the Color Power's abilities, while others simply allows him to execute powerful attacks, such as the Boost or the Final Color Blaster.

When activating a Color Power in gameplay, an in-game announcer will say the second word of the Color Power, such as "Laser" for the Cyan Laser, and "Drill" for the Yellow Drill.

Combined Form

In the 2 Player mode in the Wii version of Sonic Colors in Eggman's Sonic Simulator, two players are able to combine the Acts Color Powers with each other by activating the two Color Powers at the same time when they are within a certain distance, to create a new special Color Power move, with the combined effects of both Color Powers. However, not all Color Powers are compatible, resulting in separate effects.[2] The Color Powers that can be combined and their effects are:

Cyan Laser + Cyan Laser: Two lasers that shoot in a specified direction, spiraling around each other

Yellow Drill + Yellow Drill: Two drills that steer cooperatively, spiraling around one another with magnified power while attracting Rings.

Pink Spikes + Pink Spikes: Two spikeballs that are connected by a white beam of light, which destroys any enemy upon contact.

Yellow Drill + Cyan Laser: A drill that can turn into a laser before the Color Power ends.

Yellow Drill + Green Hover: A drill that can move through air as well as water while attracting nearby Rings.

Orange Rocket + Cyan Laser: A rocket that can turn into a laser before the Color Power ends.

Yellow Drill + Orange Rocket: A drill that can rocket upward. This Color Power ends once above ground.

Green Hover + Green Hover: Creates a white beam between the two player which can be used it to knockout enemies when they come in contact with it.

To activate a Color Power (besides the Boost granted by the White Wisps) in the Wii version, the player has to shake the Wii remote, and on the DS version, the player has to press .

The player can obtain a Color Power by collecting a Wisp from a Wisp Capsule. The Color Powers' duration is determined by the remainder of energy in the player's Wisp/Boost Gauge. Activating the Color Power will cause the Wisp/Boost Gauge to be used, and once it is depleted, the Color Power will end, and the player will have to collect a new Wisp to activate a Color Power again. While the Color Power is in effect, collecting a new Wisp of the same kind will replenish the Wisp/Boost Gauge and extend the duration of the Color Power.

On the Wii version of Sonic Colors, when Super Sonic is enabled, the player is unable to perform any Color Powers. Touching any Wisp Capsule will free the Wisp contained in it but it will not enter Sonic's body (except for White Wisps) and grant Color Powers and will instead float upwards and disappear. However, to compensate for the lack of Color Powers when playing as Super Sonic, some of the Acts' designs are tweaked to enable Sonic to traverse them without resorting to Color Powers.

To activate a Color Power in the console/PC version, the player has to press /, and on the 3DS version, the player has to press .

The player can obtain a Color Power by collecting a Wisp from a Wisp Capsule. In the console/PC version of Sonic Generations, the Color Powers' duration is determined by a set time limit rather than an energy gauge. While the Color Power is in effect, collecting a new Wisp of the same kind will extend the duration of the Color Power. On the 3DS version of Sonic Generations, however, the Color Power's duration are determined by the remainder of energy in the player's Boost Gauge. Once it is depleted, the Color Power will end, and the player will have to collect a new Wisp to activate a Color Power again. Also, like in Sonic Colors, while the Color Power is in effect, collecting a new Wisp of the same kind will replenish the Boost Gauge and extend the duration of the Color Power.

In the console/PC version of Sonic Generations, when playing as Super Sonic using the skill, the player can still obtain a Wisp, unlike in Sonic Colors. Activating a Color Power as Super Sonic will then de-activate the super transformation, returning Sonic to normal. However, transforming into Super Sonic is not possible while using a Color Power.

On the Wii U version, there is only one Color Power per Zone, but on the Nintendo 3DS version there can be more. Color Powers are activated and controlled on the Wii U GamePad in the Wii U version, and several Color Powers in the 3DS version make use of the system's gyroscope.

Sonic Runners

In gameplay, the player can either obtain Color Powers from Item Boxes in the stages where they are activated once obtaining them, or equip them before-handed and manually activate them in the stages by pressing their icon on the screen. If the player falls into a bottomless pit or takes damage without Rings, the player can resume the game by paying five Red Star Rings while automatically receiving one Color Power.